Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 Production Delayed

• Production of the Polestar 3 electric SUV is now scheduled to begin in early 2024.
• This same production delay affects the Volvo EX90 electric SUV. The two EVs share the same architecture.
• The first Polestar 3s will be built in China until Volvo and Polestar's new assembly plant in South Carolina takes over production for the U.S. market.

This marks the second time the Polestar 3 has seen its production timetable pushed back. Most recent estimates pegged the Polestar 3’s production for mid-2023, with the first models being built in China. Eventually, Polestar and Volvo’s new assembly plant located near Charleston, South Carolina, will build the Polestar 3 for the U.S. and markets other than China.

News of the delay was first reported by Automotive News. AN also noted Polestar would be eliminating jobs — roughly 300 staff in total — and lowering sales targets for the 2023 model year. Approximately 10% of Polestar’s workforce will be terminated, and the electric automaker’s 2023 sales goal has been revised to 60,000-70,000 vehicles, versus 80,000 units previously.

The Polestar 3 is vitally important to the fledgling EV automaker as it tries to gain a foothold in the U.S. market amid growing competition from the likes of BMW, Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and, of course, Tesla Motors. At the moment, Polestar’s only offering here is the Polestar 2, a high-riding electric sedan with a starting price around $50,000.

Stretching about 193 inches long, the Polestar 3 is more than half a foot longer than the 2023 Volvo XC60 sport crossover. It has a dual-motor powertrain and an estimated driving range of 270 to 300 miles depending on the powertrain, trim and battery pack.

The Polestar 3 base price is estimated to start at approximately $85,000. That’s about the same asking price expected for the Volvo EX90, which is an all-electric equivalent of Volvo's three-row XC90 crossover. The EX90 will have room for seven and feature all-wheel drive and a targeted range of 300 miles.

Edmunds says

Electric vehicles remain a new technology and delays are common. But with more and more competition, these pauses can make or break a fledgling EV brand like Polestar. On the other hand, the only thing worse than a delay in production and sales is if a vehicle comes to market riddled with mechanical flaws or tech gremlins.